Step construction for embroidery machines



April 4, 1944. MAJQRIE Y I 2,345,680

STEP CONSTRUCTION-FOR EMBROIDERY MACHINES I Filed Aug. 1, 1942 'ZShQQcS-Sheet 1 1 INVIVENTOR.

flat/zany Mq bn'e HT'TURIVE Y Patented Apr. 4, 1944 STEP CONSTRUCTIONFOR EMBROIDERY MACHINES Anthony Majorie, Fort Lee, NJ. ApplicationAugust 1, 1942, Serial No. 453,157

' 1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a stepconstruction for embroidery machines and the like.

I-Ieretofore, when working on high machines having high parts whichcould not be reached while standing on the ground, the operatorspositioned benches, boxes and other similar articles in front of themachine on which to stand to reach the high parts. This inventionproposes overcoming this objection by providing the machine with a stepconstruction having a normal inoperative raised position and which maybe lowered when needed to form a step upon which the operator may standto reach the high parts of the machine.

Another object of the invention proposes to characterize the stepconstruction by a support for attachment on the machine to supportspaced brackets upon which a step is pivotally mounted in a manner to bemovable from an operative horizontal position to an inoperative verticalposition and vice versa.

It is a further object of the invention to limit pivoting of the stepbetween the horizontal oper-. ative position and an upwardly slightlyrearwardly inclined in a manner to retain its inoperative verticalposition against the force of gravity.

Still another object of this invention proposes to characterize the stepconstruction by a pair' of steps pivotally supported to move in unisonwith the lower step being slightly to the front of the top step when thesteps are in their horizontal position in a manner to permit theoperator to walk up the steps to reach high portions of the ma- 3 chine.

A still further object of the invention proposes the construction of astep construction for embroidery machines which are simple and durableand which may be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost to beapplied as standard equip- 4o ment on new machines or to be applied tomachines now in use.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects andadvantages thereof, reference will be had to the following descriptionand accompanying drawings, and to the appended claim in which thevarious novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosureFig. 1 is the schematic illustration of an embroidery or the likemachine having a step construction in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1.

5 bolts I1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed view of another portion of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a schematic illustration of an embroidery or the like machinehaving a step construction in accordance with a modification of thisinvention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged end elevational view looking in the direction ofthe line 1-! of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed view of a portion of Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of Fig. 8.

The step construction, according to this invention, is to be used on anembroidery machine or the like which is schematically illustrated by thedot and dash lines III on the figs. The step construction includes apair of spaced posts II arranged vertically of the height of the machineIll. The bottom of each post II continues into a foot I2 which engagesthe floor upon which the machine I 0 rests.

A support I3 is extended between the posts II. The support I3 is formedof tubular stock having a square cross-section and is attached to thefront of the machine by bolts I 4. The bolts I4 extend through the backwall of the support I3, and the front wall of the support I3 is formedwith enlarged openings I5 aligned with the bolts I4 for facilitating theengagement of the bolts I4 in position.

Spaced brackets I6 are mounted in position upon the front wall of thesupport I 3 by means of Each bracket I6 has a forwardly extendingvertical lug I8. An arm I9 is mounted on the front end of each of thelugs I8. Each of the arms I9 is formed of L-shaped material which isinverted to have a vertical portion I9 and a horizontal portion I9continuing from the top edge of the vertical portion I9 The rear end ofthe vertical portion IS of each arm I9 is bifurcated to have the frontend of the lug I8 engaged therebetween. A bolt 20 is engaged through theoverlapped portion of the lug I8 and the bifurcated rear end of thevertical portion of the arm I9 to pivotally support the arm on the lugI8. The bottom of the bifurcated rear end of the vertical portion I9 isclosed by means of a wall 2| to engage the bottom edge of the lug I8 inthe horizontal position of the arm I9 to limit the arm against pivotingdownwards past the horizontal.

A step 22 is engaged across the top faces of certain adjacent arms I 9.As shown there is preferably a step 22 for each three arms l9. Thesesteps 2'2 are constructed of wood and are secured in position upon thehorizontal portions N of the arms l9 by screws 23.

On the inner face of each vertical post ll beneath the steps 22 a step25 is mounted. This step 25 is constructed of a piece of material 25having an edge secured to the post H by a bolt 21. The piece of material25 is retained in a horizontal position on the post II by a diagonalbracket 28; The top end of the bracket 23 is secured to the piece ofmaterial 26 by a rivet 29 and the bottom end of the bracket'28 issecured precise constructions herein disclosed and the to the post H ata point below the bolt 2'! by a.

bolt 30. The operation of the device is as follows: When it becomesnecessary toreach high parts on the machine W the steps 22 are pivotedto their horizontal position. walls 21 will strike the bottom edge ofthe lug i8 and hold the arms l9 against pivoting down-- wards beyond thehorizontal. The operator then steps upon the step 25 and up onto thestep 22 to reach the aforementioned high part.

When finished the operator comes down off the step 22 by first steppingon the step 25 and then down to the ground. The step 22 is pushedvertically upwards to assume a position as shown in Fig. 2 in which itwill be inclined slightly rearwards and restagainst the top corner ofthe support 13. This rearward inclination will hold the step 22 in itsinoperative position, against the force of gravity which will tend totilt the step slightly forward.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 6' to 9, the stepconstruction is formed with, an auxiliary step beneath the step 22 toreplace the step, 25 used in the previous form of the. invention.

Eachof the lugs i8, is formed; with a forwardly and downwardlyextendedprojection 3! upon the bottom end of which a bottom arm 32 is pivotallysupported by a pin 33, An auxiliary step 33- is extended across the topface of the bottom arms: 32.

step 22.

IS with the front ends of the arms, 32.

lug 35 formed on the front end of its respective arm l9 by means, ofa.pin 36. The bottom end of; each link 34. ispivota-lly connected-byan.-up'-= wardly. extending lug, 31 formed onitsrespectiva bottom arm 32by apin 38.

The links 34 act to. support the bottom arms 32 with relation to. thearms l9, and. prevent the- In this position the- Theauxiliary step 33 ispositioned slightly to the front of the front edge of the,

arms 32 from pivoting downwards past a horizontal. These links 34 alsocause the steps to move in unison from an inoperative to an operativeposition and vice versa. The inoperative position of the steps 22 and 33is illustrated by dot and dash lines in Fig. '7.

In other respects this form of the invention is similar to thatpreviously described and like reference numerals identify like parts ineach of the several views.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to beunderstood that I do not limit myself to the rightis reserved to all changes and modifications coming" within the scope ofthe invention as defined in, the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by United States Letters Patent is:

A step construction for an embroidery machine, comprising a bracketfixedly mounted on the side of said machine and having a forwardlyprojecting, vertical lug, a top arm pivotally mounted on said lug tomove in vertical planes forwards and rearwards of said machine, a stepmounted on said arm, means for limiting pivoting of said arm from ahorizontal; position on one side. of the pivot ofsaid arm upwards to arearwardly inclined position inwhich the center ofv gravity of said armand step will be on the other side, off-the. pivot of said, arm, adownwardly and forwardly extending projection formed on said bracket, abottom arm pivotally mounted on said projection to move in a verticalplane forwards and rearwards of said machine, a bottom stem mounted onsaid bottom arm, a rearwardly inclined link having its ends pivotallyconnected to thev outer extremities ofsaid arms, said pivot ofsaidbottom arm. being forwards of the pivot of said top arm and thecombined length of the distance between the pivot of said bottom arm andthe pivot of the bottom end of said link plus the length of said link isgreater than the combined length of thedistance between the pivots. of.said arms plus. the distance betweenthe, pivot of said top armand thepivot of the top end of. said link, so that,

when said top arm israised to its rearwardly inclined position said.bottom arm will be raised to a substantially. vertical, position overits respective pivotso. that the, weight. of said. bottom arm andbottom: step, will exert itself substantially vertically downwards sothat the greater portion of the weightwill be, supported by the pivotof. said; bottom. arm.

ANTHONY MAJ ORIE.

